


sweet impact

by orphan_account



Category: NCT (Band), TWICE (Band)
Genre: Crack, F/M, I'm Sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-07
Updated: 2017-07-07
Packaged: 2018-11-28 21:45:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11426835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: ten is painfully aware of momo and can't deal with it.





	sweet impact

**Author's Note:**

> i'm orphaning this hoe because i'm ashamed but if you figure out who this is... drag me please?

The first time Ten saw Momo in the flesh was backstage during a pre-recording for a music show.

To put it simply, he was burnt out from NCT U. The excitement of debut was immediately nullified by hate comments all over their articles, nasty words about Taeyong more or less bursting the protective bubble all of the members had tried to create for themselves. But bubbles pop. Everything ends. But Ten was waiting for Taeyong to feel comfortable in his own skin, waiting for all of them to be loved by the general public even though their concept is hopelessly off-putting.

Infinite members, but the group already had a reputation. Of course, Ten would never blame Taeyong, but like the others his mind wondered how things could’ve been different if there were no dark histories for people on web forums to unpack.

It was only natural for Ten to feel a little jealous of Twice. They were barely a year old but topping charts, breaking records, performing at festivals, winning awards; everything a rookie idol could only dream of. This sentiment was evident in the other members too as they watched a “Cheer Up” rehearsal, Doyoung’s eyes boring holes through the girls’ fancy letterman jackets. Ten couldn’t pretend he wasn’t intrigued, focusing on how everything about Twice screamed “idol.”

“They’re pretty,” Taeyong said. All of the members nodded in the agreement at this.

Ten became accustomed to seeing Twice’s faces everywhere after that. Huge ads in train stations, cardboard cutouts in makeup stores, those ads that pop-up when you play mobile games; they were huge, larger than life, and Ten secretly craved some of that. He wanted to grab a fraction of the love they were getting and evenly distribute it among his group.

So when he sees Momo again on Hit the Stage, gentle smile and all, he’s unfazed. He tries to be. He pretends her voice isn’t cute, pretends he doesn’t find it endearing when she asks someone to translate something for her. Ten convinces himself he’s not trying to impress her with every performance, but he can feel his eyes on her from the crowd. It’s strange. He’s not even sure if he’s trying to make her jealous or trying to satisfy her, caught between the limbo of competition and comradery.

“You’re talented,” Momo tells him. Her face is covered in a soot-like dirt from her performance with Mina and she glows under the low lighting. Ten is torn between looking down at his feet and counting the stars in her eyes.

Ten laughs off the compliment. “You are too.” He pauses, remembering who he’s talking to. A girl with confidence that comes and goes, who stays up at night wondering what she would’ve been doing if someone hadn’t taken the initiative of putting her in a girl group. On stage she’s unstoppable, but the vulnerability in front of him is such a stark contrast that he almost wants to cry. The look on Momo’s face says,  _ You don’t mean that. _

“Don’t sell yourself short, Momo,” Ten whispers. He places a hand on her shoulder, discarding the shield of his idol persona. Some of the staff gives the two of them questioning looks, others simply carry on.

“It’s hard not to,” Momo admits, “but if you think I shouldn’t, then I won’t.” She smiles at him. Ten’s chest tightens. He wants to tell her right there and then how he'll always find her amazing, but he knows better, knows the repercussions aren't worth it. He doesn't want her to suffer anymore than she already has - at least, this is how the scenario would play out assuming the feelings are mutual.

He learns to find solace in other versions of her. If he dog ears a photo of Momo in a magazine, Dispatch can't do a thing about it.


End file.
